2010 News Releases

Mayor Ashley Swearengin today announced that she will hold her second telephone-based Town Hall meeting to discuss local issues with Fresno residents on Tuesday, February 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. “Our first telephone town hall last July was a tremendous success,” Mayor Swearengin said. “I’m looking forward to once again talking directly with City residents about the issues that are important to them >more

Fishing has been temporarily suspended at Woodward Park after reports that an individual introduced a substance into the water to stun or kill fish and then collected them, apparently for food. While it’s unlikely the substance is harmful to people, the City is taking appropriate precautions while water samples are tested. “The reports indicate that someone wanted to catch a lot of fish - without a lot of effort,” said Jerry Haynes, Assistant PARCS Director. “Not only is this illegal, but it is also going to, unfortunately, deprive the rest of the community of a great recreational option this weekend,” he said >more

Mayor Ashley Swearengin and Fresno County Board of Supervisors Chair Judy Case were joined by many other city and county officials today for the launch of a new public awareness campaign urging residents to participate in the upcoming 2010 census. The local leaders said the campaign will emphasize the importance of a complete count to ensure that the city and county receive their fair share of more than $400 billion in federal funds distributed to cities and counties each year. The campaign is particularly important because the U.S >more

Mayor Ashley Swearengin today announced the appointment of Mark Scott, a Fresno native with 34 years of experience in public administration, as the City of Fresno’s new city manager. Scott, 60, who has been a city manager in three cities over the past 20 years, is currently the city manager in Culver City. He will begin his duties in Fresno in mid-April. >more

Mayor Ashley Swearengin today issued the following statement regarding a proposal to repeal a section of the City Charter related to council districts: "I cannot support this proposal in its current form. I do not believe in a plan that would permanently lock out the addition of council representatives as our city continues to grow. I do believe we should increase the population threshold before council districts are added to better manage increasing costs, but we shouldn't sacrifice democracy and representation in that process. >more

Fresno Area Express (FAX) today announced the implementation of new rules addressing safety and security on the City’s public transit system. The rules allow FAX to revoke the riding privileges of passengers who are unruly or commit crimes while on a bus or in a transit facility. The City’s Department of Transportation developed the rules following the passage of Senate Bill 1561 by the state legislature. >more

Mayor Ashley Swearengin today praised City Manager Andy Souza for his more than two decades of service to the City of Fresno and appointed Bruce Rudd as interim city manager until the permanent replacement for Souza is in position. Souza’s last day as city manager will be Monday, Feb. 1, ending a 24-year career with the City of Fresno. >more

The City of Fresno Solid Waste Division has partnered with KJWL 99.3 FM to encourage local business to recycle. For a limited time, any local business that signs a new agreement with the City of Fresno to implement a recycling program will receive $1,000 of free air-time on KJWL 99. >more

Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin today called a positive report about job growth in the City of Fresno during 2009 “a step in the right direction” for job-creation efforts in the City. According to an article by CareerBuilder editor Kate Lorenz based on Bureau of Labor Statistics information, Fresno was among only 19 cities in the country that experienced job growth of 1 percent or more from July to October 2009. During that period, 293,100 people were employed in Fresno in October, a 1. >more

City of Fresno staff continue to actively monitor current storm conditions in our area and respond to reports of storm drain blockages, fallen trees and other hazards. The National Weather Service forecast calls for rain through Friday with occasional gusty winds. No significant flooding has occurred as a result of recent storms and City crews have kept pace with weather-related issues that have arisen. >more